Philippine Adventure # 5

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Today is Thursday nearly three weeks into my internship here in Cebu, This week has been relatively quiet as we’re still coming up with concepts and ideas to produce with the inter photographers to capture with the limited budget we are given. On Monday we did the usual, so it’s wasn’t too productive, however on Tuesday we got together with the producers of Fashion TV Asia and brain stormed some concepts we can potentially achieve whilst here. Once we were finished with that meeting, Ken Ken who is our diving instructor took us to the beach for a quick moment to check out some Filipino surfers before we went to scuba world to train.

We drove north on Mactan for ten minutes, driving through tiny villages on a very small narrow two-lane road with constant pot holes, head on traffic, the usual Filipino ways of getting to and from. We turned onto a road that led us to the open ocean on the north side of the island, it was a bit majestic in my opinion as the whole scenery seemed somewhat timeless with the open field, the cliffs, the goats grazing, and the surfers trying to conquering miniscule waves that were slim to none. The cliff and the breeze were a force to be reckon with and these guys aren’t anything less then brave to jump out into the ocean, climbing down the ledge and man handle mother nature at her worst. Brave surfers I tell you, brave! Actually contrary to what I just wrote, the water wasn’t as ferocious as I’m making it out to be, on a scale from 1 - 10, 1 being a kiddy pool status and 10 being Hurricane Katrina, I’d say it was about a 5 with a nice humid breeze.

As we got out of the car and walked over to the ocean, there was a group of Pinoys watching the others attempt to surf. Ken Ken was telling us that there are surf competitions here in the Philippines and I found it rather enthralling to walk up along the side this cliff to see photographers shooting the guys in the sea, the open field with random isolated fixtures that created the foundation of concepts and ideas in my head as well as being able to understand the way of life here. Another guy that came along with us was Dwight who also knew some of the locals that were lingering around and introduced me to a tall, skinny, distinctive Rastafarian guy named Juan. The first that caught my attention of this particular character was the length of his dreads down to his butt. As if I didn’t find that entertaining enough, Dwight proceeds to tell me that Juan lives in a tree house close by, and has his own flip-flop business that he promotes with the surf group. To top it off, in his tree house, which isn’t really a tree house, it’s elevated off the ground on limbs; apparently he also has a 24-inch plasma situated in the main room of the house. I can’t describe Juan in any other way that would define who he is other the solid fact that he is one cool dude.

Since our time at the beach was limited due to training, I wanted to try and capture the essence of my surroundings with my trustee Casio Elixim, to show people what I was fortunate enough to see with my eyes, feel with my skin, hear with my ears, and sense with my soul. I walked around a bit to see what I could find that would butter my biscuit and send me off into endless thoughts of never never land moments to which I did find to my delight. I walked over to this lone tree standing off in the distance with scrap wood leaning against it situated next to a concrete slab. Then the cliff it self had stairs perched up alongside it. It reminded me of the movie the Labyrinth because of how they led to nowhere in different directions but ending into the sea. There were also goats grazing along in the field so being the country folk that I am and being brought up with animals, I spotted a white baby goat prancing around so I decided I’m going to snatch it! I walked up to it, offered candy, picked it up and ran! LOL I wanted to take a couple photos with the cutie, a white baby goat frolicking next to a Cliffside on an island in the Philippines. Precious moments.

As we sat admiring the scenery, one of the surfers came up after a session with a broken board. Apparently he got caught up in a current that swept him into a cove, luckily he managed to get out but the board was broken and he did endure some injuries that needed to be tended to with the help of liquor and banana leaves from the local surf doctor. I asked him if I could record his ordeal being in anguish and he volunteered to offer his narrated version of what happened in the water. Then he proceeded to be a smooth operator by saying if he saw a girl like me everyday, he would take the pain. I honestly can say it did make me giggle and blush a bit because of how obvious it was that he was being a ladies man but also adding on the fact he was doing it while liquor is being poured onto his wounds and be cleaned with banana leaf. Shortly after I took the video footage, it was starting to sprinkle so we packed up and headed to scuba world for training.


The short drive over was nothing out of the ordinary as to what we should be use to seeing by now, but it’s always a thrill for me. I failed to capture a great shot of a small puppy that couldn’t have been more then 2 months old; sitting in the very middle of the choppy dirt road we took back. Ken Ken laid on the horn for a few seconds until the puppy decided it was time for him to move. He casually got up, slowly walked over to the house where other 4-legged creatures seem to meet for communal gathering. The streets were a little bit busier as school just got out and the Filipino way of getting somewhere is getting in the way. Finally after dominating the streets of Mactan, we made it to scuba world for more training under the sea. The weather was cloudy and a little cold, so our session in the water wasn’t too long. We were already getting over a cold we all received from training in a hotel pool the previous week even though now we’ve been diving in the ocean. We did our necessary instructions individually as usual, however the best part of the day doesn’t come until after we all did the dive, the lunch after.






Kinilaw and Sisig are two incredible dishes here in the Philippines that I’m in love with. Kinilaw is a Filipino sushi dish made with vinegar, tomatoes, onions and the taste is indescribable. Then the sisig is pork, eggs, spices, garlic, my mouth is watering just typing about it. Simply the best! It’s greasy, fatty and reminds me a lot like chorizo back home. We devoured that meal as if it was the only meal we had during the week. It was hysterical to see everyone’s faces when the server set down the dishes on the table. If you ever come to the Philippines and you like pork as well as fish both for a meal, try it with rice of course. You will not be disappointed. Once we finished, it was back to Bigfoot.


When I take the time to write and type about my journey through life, I feel compelled to type about some of the moments I’ve been fortunate enough to really appreciate. Sunny had told me a couple days ago I look like I’m genuinely having fun with whatever I do. When he told me that, my reply was simple as it should be, because I am. Make the best out of every situation and take it for what it is worth is the way I perceive it to be. One example is that evening Sunny and I were walking back form TJ’s place, walking in the middle of the road while locals sat around and did their thing. Two foreigners living in a country walking down the street as if we were at home relaxed and comfortable in our surroundings. During this walk on the same street, there were children underneath a street light singing and dancing in the street that really made me want to start dancing as well. So of course, as we were walking by, I started dancing around with my hands in the air and had a huge smile on my face. The kids started all signing, dancing, clapping with me so it was a party in the street for us. After I finished they all clapped and were so happy I was there to be silly with them and that particularly moment (as cheesy as it sounds), the feeling is so gratifying and fulfilling to walk away from it and say to yourself, “I just danced with a bunch of young kids under a street light dancing and singing in a country so far from home, who put a huge smile on my face.” Just moments like that make me happy even if it’s something so simple. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me to capture it, so I only tell of it in words.

Wednesday afternoon we went back out into the sea and the weather wasn’t being too friendly with our training. It was sprinkling out and the water was choppy from the wind, but we had to train underwater regardless. I was the first one into the water to get it over and done with so I didn’t sit there starring at the water dreading my turn. We don’t wear the wetsuits anymore, strictly bikini so I put my game face on and went it with the attitude of ‘GO BIG OR GO HOME’ planted in my brain. Ken Ken wasn’t looking forward to it either but it’s his job to train us so he was in full scuba gear camera and all, ready to go underwater. We didn’t go too far out like previous sessions because of the weather, but this time Ken Ken had his camera and he wanted to shoot us to see how we look underwater. I had to be held down with weight or hold onto an anchor so I didn’t move around so much to get the shot. I felt like a siren of the sea shooting, hearing the snaps being shot underwater, knowing above the water the weather was anything but pleasant. For 30 minutes I forgot about the islands and everything else and floated starring into a camera.

Today is Friday afternoon and as I look outside my window right now, I can see the rainfall down and the trees dancing with the wind again. I started this blog yesterday but it took me some time to more thought into it. Yesterday we were also suppose to shoot with the intern photographers who are here, but it was postponed until further notice due to some minor changes in restructuring the company. So really today and yesterday I didn’t do very much apart from gym and sitting here writing my blog preparing for my trip to Mindanao tonight to see a friend of mine whom I haven’t seen in months. My friend Mike lives near Cagayan de Oro on Mindanao and he moved back last year for his milling business. I was able to get a ticket to see him for the weekend and I’m taking the Cebu Ferry, which is a 10-hour journey south from Cebu Island. I would be arriving into Cagayan at 6 am and returning Sunday night. This is the first time I’m taking an over night ferry, but apparently it’s a great way to travel, as well as being extremely cheap. So I conclude this blog with me packing up for the weekend and will recap about it next week. Cagayan de Oro, here I come.

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